The future leader - Bible In A Year Pastor Kile Baker - November 5th, 2023 Next: Building your faith by knowing the future. What would happen to your faith in God if He showed you the future? What should happen to your faith in God if He showed you your future? What is Biblical prophecy? A message from God on the way things are, the way things could be, and the way things will be. Prophecy can be very popular with people when they’re more interested in what God hasn’t said instead of what God has already said. Seeking out the mysterious unknown through someone is more enticing that being faithful to what God has made known through scripture. What is a prophet? From the Greek word prophétés (προφήτης). Pro (προ)— Before, in front of Phetes (φημί)— To speak or communicate. Why is biblical prophecy important? By one count, about 27 percent of the Bible is predictive (Payne, J. B., The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, Baker Pub. Group, 1980, p. 675). This means that, when written, over one fourth of the Bible—more than one in four verses—was prophetic. Professor and theologian J. Barton Payne lists 1,817 prophecies in the Bible (ibid., p. 674). When God reveals the future, it is to: Provide hope by showing God’s good plan for the world. Initiate change in people by warning them of a potentially bad outcome. Inspire people towards serving the God who ensures the future. Isaiah 7 When it became known to the house of David that Aram had occupied Ephraim, the heart of Ahaz and the hearts of his people trembled like trees of a forest shaking in the wind. The Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, by the road to the Launderer’s Field. Say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly because of these two smoldering sticks, the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and the son of Remaliah. For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted harm against you. They say, ‘Let’s go up against Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it for ourselves. Then we can install Tabeel’s son as king in it.’” This is what the Lord God says: It will not happen; it will not occur. Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. Isaiah 53:1-6 Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him. Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all. John 14:1-3 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.” Here’s what you should know about the future: Jesus was God’s foretold leader, the fulfillment of God’s prophecy, and He is your future leader. Three questions you should ask yourself about your faith and this future: What future worry do you have that you need to hand over to God? Which one of these are you most concerned about: your past, present, or future? If Jesus is your future leader, how committed to following Him are you right now? Jesus and the future: Our future is secured by Jesus, not by our faith. But our faithfulness to Him, propels us towards that future. Small Group Questions How often do you think about your future? What comes to mind: a certain age, stage of life, the end of your life, the afterlife or something else? How important do you think Biblical prophecy is? Why? Read Isaiah 53:1-3 in the Old Testament, and John 12:37-41 in the New Testament. What do these have to do with Jesus? Do you know any other places in scripture where the Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled or mentioned in the New Testament in relation to Jesus? (Use google to help you). Why are these important? From 1-10 how would you rate your faithfulness to Jesus? With 1 being “I don’t know the guy” to 10 being “He’s my Lord, and I am faithful to Him in all things.” What could you do to get your number closer to 10?